Yesterday I had a job interview for a customer service representative at a jewelry store 30 minutes from where I live, within the first 2 minutes I was already ready to leave. it went something like this:
Interviewer: “So this will be the first of 3 interviews. This interview will be between 5-7 minutes, to see if we want to move forward to the second and third, followed by a full “trial” day, with no pay to see if this will work or not. In the first half of the “trial” day, you will be instructed on how to greet people and sell jewelry. Then, you will actually start to greet people, and sell jewelry. We do this trial day so that if you’re already at a job, and it doesn’t pan out, you don’t have to quit. Also we require weekends.”
Me: “First of all, I can’t work weekends. Is that a dealbreaker?”
Interviewer: “Yes unfortunately, I think we are done here-“
Me: “Secondly, don’t you think it’s unethical to not pay for the first day? Wage theft is morally wrong. And you never answered my email about salary. If I had known that you steal the first full day of pay, I never would have even applied. You should change your application online to reflect the truth of your company – you start off new employees by stealing their wages. How is that NOT unethical? The listing online is for a JOB, not as a VOLUNTEER.”
Interviewer: “Oh but it’s just to see if the person we are considering is a good fit or not, and so that they don’t have to quit their job.”
Me: “I’m currently unemployed. The first “trial day” is in essence, wage theft, and wage theft is unethical.”
(I pull my keys from my bag)
Interviewer: “(Tries to argue how it “isn’t wage theft”)”
Me: “I think we are done here. Have a great day. And be sure to change your online listing so you don’t waste others time.”
I wasted an hour and gas on this morally inept imbecile. My car has some serious issues that need to be taken care of, not to drive to another 2 interviews with an hour round trip each followed by another hour drive to a FULL DAY OF NO PAY just to see if can greet people happily enough. Fuck that and fuck them for wasting my time.
I’m just proud I stood up for myself and potentially future others. “No OnE wAnTs To WorK aNyMoRe” my ass. No one wants to work for free, dillweeds!
thank you for coming to my rant/TED talk.